The Daily Word of Righteousness

Isaiah, Chapter Fifty-four, #6

For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you, says the LORD your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:7,8)

You feel like you have been abandoned. You have to hold on, remembering that the Lord who was such a cause of rejoicing to you in earlier days has not changed. He is attacking the enemy in your personality. When God is satisfied with this phase of your experience He will return. He always will return!

There are things in your personality that have not been reconciled to God; that He is angry with. If you will obey the Holy Spirit, the Spirit will show you what to do about each of these enemies, whether they have to do with the love of the world and trust in the world, or with the lusts that dwell in your sinful nature, or with your pride and personal ambition.

This time of reconciliation to God is portrayed by the Jewish Day of Atonement, which follows the celebration of Pentecost.

It is kind of like Jacob wrestling with the angel; like Abraham being challenged to slay Isaac; like Joseph in Prison. It is a period of barrenness.

I have been there, and may go there again. Who knows? So I can tell you from experience that this is not a joyous period of your Christian life. But when you come forth from the flames, as was true of the three Hebrew young men you will know God for yourself. He no longer will be just the house of God,. He will be the God of the house of God.

Job said, "I heard about you and now I have seen you." It is this sort of thing.

Your period of testing is not a grave, it is a tunnel. There is light at the end. Don't be surprised at the fiery trial that shall test you. This fire is part of the salvation experience.

We Christians of today are far too "light." Do you know what I mean by that? We just are not deep enough in God. I am not speaking of head knowledge. I am referring to the depth of our spirit in God.

The Bible says the saints shall judge the world, and so they shall. The Bible says we shall judge angels, and so we shall.

Think of the Christians you know. How many of them do you think are qualified to judge the rebellious lords of the heavens? Do you see what I mean?

How, then, do we put on spiritual weight? Only as we suffer in the Lord. Only as we patiently bear our cross of self-denial, plugging along day by day.

To be continued.